About Neil

St. Albert since day one.

St. Albert “Bonafides”

I grew up with Gusto Burgers, but I’m not old enough to have ever lifted a pint at the Bruin Inn. 

I bowled at Grandin Mall and played hockey in the Ducky Dome but never got the chance to experience the real seven hills.

I was among the last groups of students to attend the Little White School and the first to attend the new Marguerite d’Youville.

Family Life

My beautiful wife Kristen and I are high school sweethearts and have been together for almost 30 years.  Surely a right of passage for many St. Albertans, our first place together was in Rivercrest apartments (Sturgeon Point Villas).  From there we moved to Liberton Terrace housing co-op where we saved enough to buy our first home in Mission.  We have lived there ever since having children along the way and are now very proud of our 17 year old daughter Kailen, and 16 year old son Evan. 

Proven track record

At 21 years of age I was elected the youngest councillor (then Alderman) in St. Albert’s history.  Driven by an interest and desire to shape the future of the city, I’m proud of what we accomplished during my two terms on council.  We secured funding and approvals for the then controversial Ray Gibbon Drive, we engaged in tough negotiations  with Sturgeon County to extend St. Albert’s boundaries, and we enacted stronger measures to protect the Sturgeon River watershed.  Most importantly, we did this with fiscal restraint and kept St. Albert’s debt amongst the lowest of all medium sized Alberta cities.

Educator

As a teacher for 20 years with Greater St. Albert Catholic Schools, I’ve taught a number of core classes including Biology, Science, Math, and Social Studies.  What I’m most proud of however are the classes I’ve created myself.  Responding to student interest and need, I created Alberta’s first Urban Agriculture class at MCHS in Morinville and grew that program for 10 years before transferring to St. Albert High.  There, I created three new option classes: Outdoor Pursuits, Business and Entrepreneurship, and Personal Finance and Investing.

Community volunteer

Some tell me I have a hard time saying no.  The truth is, I like being busy.  I like helping out and I like being involved.  I’ve volunteered for as long as I can remember.  In what seems like an eternity ago, I helped get St. Albert’s first skate park built as a member of the St. Albert Youth Council,  organized St. Albert’s fundraiser in support of cattle farmers during the BSE crisis, and played a lead role in putting on the Rainmaker for the better part of 10 years.  More recently my volunteer time has been spent in support of both my students and my own children coaching basketball, hockey, ringette, cross county running, and even a small stint as a scout leader!  In a professional capacity, I serve as a director for Inside Education, a not for profit environmental education organization that provides both Alberta students and teachers with bias-balanced multiple perspective experiences in Energy, Forestry, Agriculture, and other important environmental topics. 

Small business owner

My wife and I both own small businesses in St. Albert.  For the last few years my kids and I have operated a farmers market business selling cheese and dairy products at several markets including our own St. Albert Farmers Market, the largest outdoor market in Canada.  Kristen also runs a small business and has been contracted to manage the St. Albert Kinsmen Banquet Centre for just over 10 years.

active around town

When I say this community means everything to me, I mean it.  I’ve played soccer weekly on a SASA co-ed team for 20 years.  I swim twice a week at Fountain Park.  I’m a member of the St. Albert Pickleball Club and organize my own pickleball league. I run the Red Willow trails three times a week and participate regularly in the historic St. Albert 10 Miler, Run Wild, and the Terry Fox Run.  I help out with two St. Albert community gardens.  We’re patrons of the Arden Theatre, organize annual events to support St. Albert’s independent businesses, and never miss the Children’s Festival or Rock’n August.  The Métis river lots are a must visit for all my students and Migration is my favourite work of public art.  Come summertime, the only thing that might be able to compete with a kayak trip down the Sturgeon is a cold pint on the rugby club deck.  I am thankful every day my family calls St. Albert home.